Folding lunch box



M. LARIN ETAL 2,239,611

FOLDING LUNCH BOX Filed March 9, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l NeZaan Slime/7 1i /6 WW arael I April 22, 1 1.

M. LARIN ETAL FOLDING LUNCH BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9 1939 f I 7 2'9, Z

Maroez Larz'fl ZVeZsan Sz'm'ami Patented Apr. 22, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE FOLDING LUNCH BOX Marcel Latin and Nelson Simard, Miami, Fla.

Application March 9, 1939, Serial No. 260,858

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a folding box and particularly a box capable of use as a lunch box suitable for ofiice, factory and field workers, school children, car conductors, miners, woodsmen and the like. The invention is also capable of other uses, for instance picnic boxes.

It is especially aimed to provide such a construction as may befolded into relatively small space so as to be carried within the coat pocket or the like.

A further object is to provide such a construction as may be made primarily from stamped sheet metal, and will be practically a flat and solid body when folded.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with ac-- the im- Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view corresponding to Figure 3 but with the box in folded condition;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail illustrating the junction between the side and end walls;

Figure 8 is a detail perspective showing the box in its operative form, and

Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the box in its folded form.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, l designates a bottom or base wall having relatively low vertical flanges II at the ends thereof and higher vertical flanges l2 at the sides thereof, the base being preferably of sheet metal and the flanges integral therewith. The upper edges of the flanges II are formed into hinge barrels I3 while the upper edges of the flanges I2 are formed into hinge barrels [4.

End walls l have barrels l6 interfitted with those at l3 and jointly therewith receiving a hinge pintle H. A similar hinge pintle l8 passes through the barrels l4 and through barrels 19 of side walls 20, the barrels [9 being interfitted between the barrels l4 Said end walls [5 have their side terminals offset inwardly as shown at 2| and such portions 2| are adapted to be engaged by flanges 22 and 23 carried by the end walls or edges of the sides 20. It will be noted, that each wall 20 has at least one of the flanges 22 and one of them at 23, such flanges being vertically disalined, so that they will receive the portions 2| therebetween and be on opposite sides thereof.

The upper edge portions of the end walls l5 and side Walls 20 are preferably provided with ribs or beads 24 and 25, respectively.

In the utile or unfolded condition, a cover 26 is slidably applicable over the top of the box, having depending longitudinal flanges 21 which are interiorly concave so as to provide grooves to interfit with the beads 25. A similar flange 28 may be provided at one end of the cover to serve as a stop.

The box is shown in its utile or unfolded con dition in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 8. When the box is not in use, it may be folded into the compact relatively flat form of Figures 5, 6 and 9. In such condition, the end walls I5 are first folded inwardly and the walls 20 are then folded inwardly over the walls l5, subsequent to which, the cover 25 may be slidably applied over the barrels l4 and [9, which function to retain the cover similarly to the beads 24 and 25, the latter extending outwardly from the box to the same extent and being of the same external size and shape as the beads 25.

All of the wallsv of the box may be made from sheet metal or similar material, suitably stamped into shape and the box may be made in any desired size and particularly in a relatively small size so that when folded it may be carried within the pocket of the owner or user,

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. A box of the class described having a base, end walls pivoted to the base on an axis spaced from the bottom of the box, the side edge portions of the end walls being offset a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the walls, side walls pivoted to the base on axes above the axes of the end walls, sets of flanges on said side walls in lateral disalignment interengaged with the opposite sides of the adjacent side edge portions to aid in maintaining the walls unfolded, said flanges having a width equal to the length of the oifset portions.

2. A box of the class described having a base.

end walls pivoted to the base on an axis spaced from the bottom of the box, the side edge portions of the end walls being offset a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the walls, side walls pivoted to the base on axes above the axes of the end walls, sets of flanges on said side walls in lateral disalignment interengaged with the 0pposite sides of the adjacent side edge portions to aid in maintaining the walls unfolded, said length of the offset portions, outwardly projecting heads at the edges of the side walls, a cover slidably applicable to said beads, hinges between the side walls and base provided with outwardly projecting barrels of substantially the same size as said beads, said cover being slidably applicable to said barrels in the folded condition of the box.

MARCEL LARIN.

NELSON SIMARD. 

